Scientists find remains of the largest carnivore that ever lived in Europe

Gigantic bipedal, carnivorous and with a head reminiscent of modern crocodiles – this is the basic description of spinosaurus fossils recently found on the Isle of Wright in southern England. Scientists find remains of the largest carnivore that ever lived in Europe

British paleontologists said on Thursday that they had found parts of the skeleton of a spinosaurus, which lived about 125 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period. Based on the fossils, experts estimate that the animal was more than 10 meters tall, and could reach up to 15 meters.

With the discovery, Spinosaurus – cousin of the most famous prehistoric carnivore, Tyrannosaurus rex – becomes the largest carnivore to have set foot on European soil in history. The giant’s skeleton, however, is not complete. Fossils of the vertebrae, bones of the back, hip and tail were found, as well as fragments of the upper and lower limbs. The species does not yet have a defined scientific name, but it has been nicknamed the “white stone spinosaurid”, in allusion to the place where it was found. Scientists believe it is not part of any previously identified species.

“The size of the specimen is impressive. It is one of the biggest – and possibly the biggest – predator known to hunt in Europe,” said the head of the study that discovered the fossils, paleontologist Chris Barker. The scientific article describing the findings can be read here..

Carnivorous dinosaurs belonged to a class called theropods, with large specimens on every continent. They were bipedal, with massive skulls and powerful teeth. In Africa, Spinosaurus was the largest. In North America, Tyrannosaurus reigned at the top of the food chain. In South America, the gigantosaurus was the predator at the apex of the food chain. Now, with the new Spinosaurus, Torvosaurus has lost the European crown.

The fossils were found off the southwest coast of the Isle of Wright. Spinosaurus inhabited an area of lakes, which was populated by several flying herbivores called pterosaurs. During the Cretaceous, sea levels were higher than in present times, and much of Europe was under water.